Split bucket



40 transverse l:DANIEL E. STAIR, F ELKHART, INDIANA.

SPLIT BUCKET.

Application filed August 17, 1922. Serial No. 582,481.

A To all who/m, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DANIEL STAIR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Split Buckets, of whichthe following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to a new and improved conveyor bucket, and moreparticularly to a two-part bucket adapted to be opened and closed by theaction yof gravity.

In conveyor buckets it is highly desirable that the opening and closingmeans comprise 'but few' and simple elements, sincev the buckets undergorough treatment and these elements are likely to become deranged orbroken. It is further`highly desirable that the operation beaccomplished without the addition of bucket opening and closing ropes orcables which unduly complicate the con- -veying system.

In order to provide a system of maximum eiliciency, the buckets mustopen and'close rapidly and must dump cleanly and quickly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bucket of thecharacter described which is formed in twoparts adapted to be swung bygravity to the closed position when in the filling position and to beopened by gravity when unlatched while in discharging position. It isalso an object to provide a gravit -operated latch for said bucket. Itis a furt er object to provide a bucket which is simple in construction,composed of coinparatively few parts and which is relatively inexpensiveto manufacture.

Other and furtherobjects will appear asv they description proceeds.

Broadly, m b'ucket comprises two parts l and hingedY together at thepoint above the center of gravity of the twoparts. Supporting'elementsare provided located adJacent the hinge, .and the weight ofthe bucket isso p15 proportioned that when Supported by these elements, the two partsclose. Means are rovided for automatically latching the ucket togetherwhen closed. A bail is provided' connected to the. two parts of thebucket preferably by flexible members so that the bail may swingoutof'the way when.

loading. -The bail is attached at such points tothe Ptwo parts that whensuspended from the bail the two parts to swing open l ivided upon avertical plane' of my invention in the accompanyingdraw-- ings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side view of the bucket in the closed position, theopen position being indicated in dotted lines; l

. Figure 2 shows a, bucket as seen from above; l

(Figure 3 is an lend view of the bucket; an

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified form oflatch.

The bucket comprises the two parts 5 hinged to ther at the point 6. Thesupporting ro 1ers 7 are fitted upon thel bucket substantially inlinewith the hinge pivot. These rollers are held in place by cotterpins 8.The upper adjacent faces of the-two bucket parts are cut away at 9 so asto permit the bucket to swing to the open position. The bottom 10 of.each bucket part is sloped downwardly toward the center in order thatthe bucket may quickly'discharge its entire y contents. The side wallsof the bucket are also upon a slight inward slope. The catch 1 1 islocated upon one half .of the bucket ber 15 provided at either end witha rigidA frame 16. The ends of these frames 16 are connected by -chains17 to the straps 18, the latter being attached-to cross straps 19 which.v

are welded or otherwise securedto-the inte'- 4rior of the bucketcorners. Thelch'ains 17 are adjustably connected by eyes 17 to thestraps 18. The rigid member 15 i'nay be conf.

nected in any desired manner to a hanger or pulley or other element asdesired.

The right hand bucket inember 5l is rovided with the lap stripA 24 whichover aps the edge of the opposite member 5 when the b ucketi's'closedand thus forms a strong and tight Joint. The lap stri strengthens thispart of the bucket andten s to prevent'bulg., ingl orother'deformationyunder load.

The guide angles 25 are secured to the' la strip 24 immediately Abelowthe. ro1lers 7 andi.

ipo

" are so proportioned as to positively guide 'operation 1saccomplishedentirely by gravas clearly shown in Figure 3, these anglesthe rollers to the supporting rails."

The form shown in Figure 4: is similar in all respects to that of theother igures, with |the exception of the latch. 'llhe latch 12' of thisform of the device is provided with the rearwardly extending arm 20which is connected by the rod 21 to the operating lever 22, the latterbeing pivotedlto the upper portion of the bucket in the bracket 23.

In the use of my bucket it is normally connected to the conveyor bymeans of the bail member 15, and suspended in that Inanner, is movedabout by the conveyor. When thus suspended the pull of the chains 17tends to separate the two parts of the bucket. This tendency, however,is overcome by the latch 12 and catch 11.l When the form of bucket shownin Figures 1 to 3 is lowered so that the Jfoot 14: of the catch engagesthe ground, a pile ot discharged material, or any other substantiallyunyielding object, that end of the catch is moved upwardly and the catchis released. .The bucket then swings open and its contents are quicklyand cleanly discharged by gravity. The bucket, remaining inthis opencondition, is transported to the loading point or to some point Wheresupporting members such as rails are provided adapted to engage theyrollers 7. The bucket is lowered until these rollers 7 leo engage thesupports and carry the weight of the bucket, the angles 25 serving toguide the rollers to the rails.- Gravity then swings the two partstogether and the latch 12 is cammed outwardly by the catch 11 and snapsinto engagement with that catch.

llt is to be noted that not only the bucket itself but` the bucket latchare vity-oper-v ated,no springs or similar devices being required.

The form of latch shown in Figure 4i is operated by so moving theconveyor that the arm 22 is brou ht into engagement with anysubstantially wardly. rl"his movement of the lever serves to release thetwo of the bucket, which are discharged. llt will be observed that thisform of latch may also be operated b bringing the arm 20 into engagementwit any substantially'unyielding Vobject by,7 lowering the bucket incontact with it in amanner similar to the other form of latch.

' lBy reason of the fact that the bail is com nected Ato the bucket byAtilerible members, the chains 17 permit the rigid bail members to swingsubstantially out ot the way of the incoming material 'when the bucketis loaded. The eyes 17 may beadjusted so that the bucket hangs eventllt'is'tobe understood,

' of course, that the ucket is not a reclaiming Gti bucket, but is ptedto be load trom"- above when the two parts are inthe'cld Xed object andis swung up-f y .innesco My improved bucket is extremely simple indesign and rug t i in construction. lits .ity so that no additionalbucket-operating ropes or similar elementsare required.

llt is to be understood that the forms of the bucket, the supportingelements and hinge being so related to each other and to the two bucketparts that when the weight of the bucket is carried by the supportingelements, *the two l by gravity,'and-a ail for said bucket connected toeach part at such pointthat 'when parts are closed together v.

suspended from the bailI the hinged parts Y tend to swing open.

'2. tA conveyor bucket divided into *two parts upon a transversevertical plane, said parts being hingedly connected together at a pointabove the center of gravity of Ithe two parts andinwardly, toward thedividing plane, from the center of gravity ofv each part whereby theparts are closedtogether by gravity when the bucket is sus- Apended frompoints adjacent the hinges, supporting elements ad]acent said hinges anda bail for said bucket connected to each part at points spacedoutwardlyfrom thel ico y hinged joint 'and above the centers of gra'vity ot theparts whereby when suspended from the bail the parts tend to swing open.

3. A conveyor bucket comprising two parts hined together, supportingelements located ajacent the hinge and adapted to engage support membersto carry the weightl of the bucket, the supporting elements and hingebeing so related to' each other and to the two bucket parts that whenthe weight of the bucket is carried by the supporting the -two parts`are closed together and means adapted |to automatithe vtwo partstogether when 4. A conveyor bucket comprising two' located adjacent thehinge and adapted to.

'engage support members to carry the weight of the bucket, Ithesupporting elements andv hinge being so related, to. each other and' tot e two bucket parts that when the weight of the bucket' is carried bythe supporting. elements, the two parts are closed together x bygravity, and avity-actuated meansy adapted to automatically lock thetwoV palts -r-.

together when closed.V

5. A conveyor bucket having elements adapted to engagespace tosustain'th'elbucket and guide anglesv loproj ec'tingu supports"- partshinged together, suppo gage rails to support the bucket therefrom,

cated uponthe bucket adjacent 'theprojecting elements to guide them tothe support.

6. A. conveyor bucket 'comprising two ,rting rollers 1ocated adjacentthe hinge and adapted y lto engage support members to carry the weightof the bucket, and guide anglescarrie'd by one of the bucket partsIadjacent the rollers and adapted toguide them tothe support members. il' 7. A' conveyor bucket comprising two v parts hinged together,laterally extending members adjacent' the hinge adapted to enwhensupported from said members, and

. means connected to the bucket parts at pointsdistant from the hingewhereby when the bucket is supported fromsaid means the bucket partstend to open by gravity. 8. A, conveyor bucket comprising two .partshinged together, 'i laterally extending l members adjacent the hingeadapted to engage rails to support the bucket. therefrom,

parts hinged together, laterally extending rollers adjacent the hinge`adapted to engage rails to support the bucket therefrom, the bucketparts closing together by gravity when supported from said rollers and abail connected toI the bucket parts at points distant from the hingevwhereby when the bucket is supported from said bail the bucket partstend to open by gravity.

Signed at Elkhart, Indiana, this 12th day-of August, 1922.

Daumen s'rAiR.

